*Mrs. Lori Ann has put together a fantastic bible study to go along with our upcoming performance of Sleeping Beauty: True
Love's Kiss. We would love for you to work through it in anticipation of seeing the show, for a deeper understanding of the truths presented in the performance.*
Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss Bible Study
Lesson 1: Harboring Bitterness
Scripture--Hebrews 12:14-15 “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without
which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no
“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put
away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Lesson Point—Harboring bitterness is against God’s will.
In this ballet, one of the lessons the artistic director wants you to witness is the result of
bitterness. When Maldoer cuts off Maleficent’s wings, he hurts her. Maleficent had trusted
Maldoer, and then was betrayed by him when he cut off her wings, a truly painful and
physically harmful event. Her greatest pain was knowing that he had lied to her by promising
her the gift of “True Love’s Kiss” for her 16th birthday. He lied in order to get her wings
so
that he could rule over his own world. Because of her pain and her hurt, Maleficent becomes
angry, resentful, and bitter. Accepting Neene’s (the giver of evil) wickedness, Maleficent
becomes mean, even cruel. Eventually she hurts the only person that loves her
unconditionally. When we allow bitterness into our hearts, that bitterness hurts others, but it
hurts us the most. In “Bitterness: Weeding out the Poisonous Root” by Jim Henry (an online
article), we can recognize signs of bitterness. “It is really not that complicated to recognize
bitterness. Let's think of some of the characteristics of an extremely bitter person: 1) They
show a lack of concern for others. 2) They're sensitive and touchy, thinking that everyone is
against them. 3) They become very possessive with just a few friends, for fear of losing
them, and rarely ever have any really close friends. 4) They tend to avoid meeting new
people. 5) They show little or no gratitude at all. 6) They will usually speak words of empty
flattery or harsh criticism. 7) They hold grudges against people, often for a long time,
refusing to forgive. 8) They often have a stubborn or sulking attitude. 9) They are usually
unwilling to share or help anybody. 10) They end up experiencing mood extremes--very high
and happy one minute and then deeply depressed the next.
Questions
1) What are some reasons that we become bitter? (Someone hurt you a lot, someone you love
dies, you didn’t get the promotion you were expecting, someone stole something from you,
you become bitter towards yourself because you did something bad and believe you don’t
deserve God’s forgiveness, etc.)
2) What is the harm in being bitter? (Bitterness can cause you to hurt others, even your family
and friends who care about you, bitterness can make you physically sick, etc.)
3) What does God tell us to do instead of harboring bitterness? (Be humble before God,
confess our sins, and ask for His forgiveness and His grace to guide, strengthen, and sustain
us, etc.)
Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss Bible Study
Lesson 2: Forgiveness
Scripture—Matthew 6:25-26 “When you pray, if you have anything against anyone, forgive
him, that your Father in heaven may forgive you your trespasses; if you do not forgive,
neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the
sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never
avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I
will repay, says the Lord.’ ”
Lesson Point—Failing to forgive is a sin against God’s law.
Aurora, the beautifully-blessed princess, daughter of King Maldoer and Princess Oscilla, learns
from the fairies that the ‘evil Maleficent’ has already cursed her. On her 16th birthday, she
will prick her finger and fall into a long, deep sleep from which she cannot be awakened
unless her “true love” kisses her. When Aurora goes to tell her beloved “God-Mother” good-
bye, she learns that “God-Mother” is actually Maleficent. Aurora, taken back at first, realizes
that the curse was placed on her when she was a little child, before Maleficent even knew
her. Aurora chooses to see the good in Maleficent (just as God sees each of us as who we can
be) and forgives Maleficent. Aurora’s response releases her to continue in her journey with
God’s blessing and allows Maleficent the freedom to change her future actions. This apex in
the ballet shows Maleficent as gaining the courage and desire to be free from Neene’s
bondage.
Brian Sparks states frankly, “Forgiveness is giving up the right to be angry even though you
have a right to be angry. Forgiveness always costs the person who is giving it.” Forgiveness
can be a very hard step to take, but when we are sincere about it, we must tell God that we
forgive the wrongdoer and the wrong done to us; then in the name of Jesus and by His Holy
Spirit, we surrender our hurt and bitter feelings over to the Lord, and invite His goodness to
dwell within us and guide us instead. Later, Aurora realizes that it was her own father who
stole Maleficent’s wings. Aurora understands that Maleficent retaliated by cursing an unknown
child to avenge the taking of her wings. Though this was a sinful act on the part of Maleficent,
Aurora chose not to blame her and showed forgiveness. Maleficent, moved by grief and
emotion at the sight of the sleeping Aurora, was no longer thinking of herself and her pain;
her every thought was for the plight of the young girl she loved. Thus, it is the power of
Maleficent’s “true love’s kiss” that awakens Aurora at last.
Questions
1) Why should we forgive those who hurt us? (Failure to forgive is a sin, sin separates us from
God, God wants all His children to live in loving fellowship with Him and each other, follow
Christ’s example, etc.)
2) How do we begin to forgive? (We choose to, realize the price paid for our salvation and
forgiveness, we confess our sins, we desire to please God, God loves all His children, etc.)
3) How do we achieve forgiveness? (Realize God forgave us and redeemed us; surrender
hostilities before God; accept others as siblings in Christ, look to Him for our happiness, know
that God works in mysterious ways among His people for their good, allow Jesus to speak
truth in our situation, reconcile and restore fellowship among God’s people, etc.)Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss Bible Study
Lesson 3: True Love
Scripture—1 Corinthians 13:4-8, and 13— “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or
boastful, or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices
whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and
endures through every circumstance. There are three things that will endure—faith, hope,
and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
Lesson Point – Tr u e l o v e c o m e s f r o m G o d W h o e n a b l e s u s t o l o v e s e l f l e s s l y.
There are three kinds of love that exist in this world: philios (brotherly love), eros (romantic
love between a man and a woman), and agape (unconditional, sacrificial, unlimited love). The
first two are earthly kinds of love, and they cannot awaken the sleeping princess. Agape love
is the love that is spiritual or Godly. The love that can awaken the young princess can only be
found in Christ’s example. It is a non-worldly love that places the welfare of another above
your own. True love is selfless and enduring.
In anger and retribution for the suffering Maldoer had caused her, Maleficent placed a curse
upon his daughter. Within that curse, she pronounces, “No power on earth can revoke the
curse; only true love’s kiss can awaken her.” No doubt Maleficent was thinking of Maldoer’s
deception and how she could hurt him the most, by using his own words to bring punishment
upon him while she endangers his daughter. Then Maleficent herself is bound by her own
curse; she is overcome with grief at what seems hopeless to remedy. Unknown to her at the
time, there exists a greater power that can alter the evil curse in this world. God does not
leave us without hope or His help! Above all, God is Love!
Looking back, Maleficent gloried in having her wings. Suddenly, they were taken away, and
she was left in agony and anguish. After the pain subsides, she allows anger and bitterness to
make her life miserable. When Maleficent sees Aurora and is grief-stricken that her anger and
bitterness had unwittingly hurt the one she loved most, she is filled with remorse. She
becomes repentant and humble, caring more for Aurora than for herself. All she wants is to
pour out her love on the sleeping girl. When her tearful kiss awakens Aurora, Maleficent is
overjoyed! That was all she wanted or needed at that point, to have Aurora back in her life.
In return, she is permitted at last to experience the “true love’s kiss” that she had first been
promised for her 16th birthday; however, instead of receiving the kiss, she becomes the giver
of the kiss! The true test of her love is its selflessness. Later, when her stolen wings are
restored, it is an unexpected, extra blessing. Oh, how much our Father wants to bless us and
give back to us when we truly surrender our hearts and our lives to Him!
Questions:
1) What are two types of earthly love? (philios brotherly love, and eros-romantic love)
2) How is spiritual love different from earthly love? (unconditional, sacrificial, unlimited)
3) Why does God say, “Of faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is love”? (Love never
fails, God’s love is eternal, everyone has a basic need for love, love makes the biggest
difference in our lives, etc.)
Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss Bible Study
Lesson 4: Bondage or Salvation
Scripture— Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Roman 5:8 “But God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.”
Lesson Point—Sin holds us in bondage, but God offers salvation and freedom through Jesus
Christ.
When Maldoer first met Maleficent, he impressed her as a pretty good guy. He won everyone’s
approval when he threw away the iron ring, knowing that iron burns fairies. Something
happens to change Maldoer, though; ambition becomes his priority. He knows that Maleficent
is not the evil, wicked beast that everyone thinks she is. After all, she could have killed him
when he was in her territory. The problem is that everyone has mistaken Maleficent for the
evil Neene. Soon Maldoer realizes that he doesn’t have to be poor or to work hard for what he
wants. It is a lot easier just to take what does not belong to him. With the goading of Neene,
he goes to kill Maleficent so that he can bring back her wings. Then he would be the next king
and get to marry a beautiful princess as well! Maleficent allows Maldoer to reenter her
kingdom. He tells her he loves her and, for her 16th birthday, promises her “true love’s kiss.”
Maleficent trusts Maldoer, which was a mistake easily made. Once he drugs her to sleep,
Maldoer finds that he cannot kill her, so he simply cuts off her wings with an iron knife and
takes them back to his kingdom, leaving Maleficent in terrible pain. He thinks he has fooled
everyone in his kingdom. Hurray for the new king who got rid of the evil in the kingdom! Now
Maldoer himself is the evil one, and he must live with his guilt. When Maleficent comes and
curses his daughter, he must face the horrible reality that his daughter’s future is endangered
because of his own misdeeds.
Many people believe that they can just try to be a “good” person and earn their way to
heaven with good works. However, God’s Word tells us that we cannot earn our salvation; it is
the gift of God. The true way is to confess our sins, believe Jesus died for those sins, and
accept His saving grace. When we know Him as Lord, we repent of our sins and achieve good
works through God’s power and for His glory. Maldoer does not repent of his sin even though it
is gnawing away at him and causing him to go crazy. He does not ask Maleficent to forgive
him. His pride will not let him admit the truth to the people of his kingdom. When he does
not ask God to save his soul through Jesus’ blood and righteousness, it’s truly a sad ending for
Maldoer, and it's just as sad for us if we refuse to accept Jesus as our Savior.
Questions
1) Why can a human never be “good enough” to please God? (All have sinned, human nature is selfish
and prideful, we cannot understand God’s wisdom or his thoughts without trusting Him, etc.)
2) in what ways does sin keep us in bondage? (rationalizing “everybody does it,” weakens conscience
concerning what is right, makes us a slave to evil ways, makes us serve idols or whatever we value
higher than God, we reap what we sow, etc.)
3)How can we end our bondage to sin? (Believe, confess, accept Jesus as Savior, obey God’s laws, be gratefult
to Him for his llove, mercy and grace, in His power to seek honor Him and serve others, etc.)
Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss Bible Study
Lesson 5: Blessings Under God’s Authority
Scripture—Psalm 103:1-5 "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy
name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and
compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the
eagle's."
Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Lesson Point—God desires us to have joy in seeking His will for our lives.
Gratitude leads to joy, and joy leads to praise. Aurora was joyful even after she learned of
the troubled circumstances in her life. Maleficent was joyful when Aurora came back. Getting
her wings back was an extra blessing. Where before there had been enmity between the
humans and fairies, now there is peace that came only from sacrifice and joy following pain.
Gratitude to God is the most fundamental honor we can give to God. A sacrifice of praise
works miracles because you sacrifice yourself in order to allow God to work. Merely stating
your problem and offering general requests do not allow God to work. Asking Biblically,
fervently, and specifically for solutions and desires allows God to work. Queen Oscilla is
designed to be a special character. She is royalty, born into the royal family. She will carry the
lineage of her family through birthing the babies. Unfortunately, she was given in marriage to
a man obsessed with becoming royalty the wrong way—through deception. When Oscilla
realizes that she has been loving a man who lied to her dad, to her, and to her kingdom, she is
upset. Then when her husband’s actions cause a fairy to curse her beloved child, that incident
separates her love from him. She could be filled with bitterness here, but she refuses. As she
watches her husband, the king, brood in his chambers for years, staring at a pair of wings,
and trying to find a way to kill his accuser, Oscilla decides she must intervene. She pleads
with him to change and become a man worthy of her kingdom, but it is too late. His guilt has
driven him to madness. She realizes that he must have cut those wings right off of
Maleficent; Oscilla can feel Maleficent’s pain just as strongly as she hurts from having her
baby stolen by Maldoer to be raised far away by fairies. She wonders what will become of her
kingdom and how God can help in this hopeless situation. Oscilla illustrates the blessings of
remaining faithful even when it hurts, and when the circumstances say the result is defeat.
Questions
1) How can joy come from pain? (Dependence on God, trusting His providence, believing He
will work in a situation for your good, knowing that Jesus suffered for us when we didn’t
deserve it, our aim is to be more Christ-like, knowing our reward will come in God’s time,
seeing God work miracles in ways we never thought to ask, etc.)
2) Why is it important to live under God’s authority? (He made us, He knows us completely,
and He loves us anyway, He is pleased with our gratitude and praise, He wants to give us so
much if we will just get ourselves out of the way, God’s richest blessings are bestowed on the
humble and obedient.)
3) How does God reward the faithful? (Blessings on body and soul, solutions to problems,
grace for the journey, the knowledge that this life is not all there is, the assurance of God’s
eternal providence, etc.)
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